Signals Over the Air

Hulshof

U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, is drawing fire for his votes on a bill reauthorizing and expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program from the campaign arm for House Democrats.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that the six-term congressman will be targeted with “ radio ads, a mobile text message campaign, and an e-mail campaign.” Other lawmakers included in the buy are:

• Richard Baker (LA-06)
• Steve Chabot (OH-01)
• Ric Keller (FL-08)
• Joe Knollenberg (MI-09)
• Peter Roskam (IL-06)
• John Shadegg (AZ-03)

“Across the country Republicans are feeling the heat for supporting President Bush instead of the health care for America’s kids,” Rep. Craig Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said. “Since Republicans continue to play politics with children’s health care, we will continue to go district by district to hold them accountable for voting in lockstep with President Bush.”

Hulshof has repeatedly voted against legislation to expand the program for families who don’t have health insurance but make too much money to qualify for Medicaid. He has given a multitude of reasons for his votes, ranging from the cigarette tax increase used to pay for the expansion to the inclusion of families making $60,000 to $80,000 onto the program. He said last week that a revamped version of the bill didn’t do enough to keep illegal immigrants off the program.

But proponents of the legislation note that people included who make that income level pay premiums. They also noted that the bill did allow states to mandate certain documentation in order to be enrolled onto the program.

The SCHIP bill has been a popular instrument for Democrats to use against GOP lawmakers. Out-of-state groups, for example, launched advertisements targeting Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, for his votes against the expansion.

But unlike Graves – who is expected to face a competitive match-up against former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes — Hulshof does not have an opponent yet for the 2008 election cycle. He’s won his last three elections with over 60 percent of the vote.

So why would the national arm of the House Democrats exert resources against an incumbent in a district that isn’t on anybody’s list of competitive electoral races yet? Could it be a sign that national Democrats are considering targeting Hulshof the same way they’ve targeted Graves?

Ryan Rudominer, a spokesman for the DCCC, says the advertising campaign is about holding a lawmaker accountable for votes.

“Since Republicans like Congressman Hulshof and Congressman Graves continue to play politics with children’s health care, we will continue to go district by district to hold them accountable for voting in lockstep with President Bush,” Rudominer said.

Hulshof spokesman Scott Baker noted that some of the targeted lawmakers – such as Sheddegg – live in fairly safe House districts. That, he said, could mean the DCCC could be trying to make them vote in favor of the legislation. Baker also said there has been some constituent reaction to the SCHIP bill. He said a few constituents have called about the 61-cent increase in cigarette taxes to fund the expansion.

On a similar note, Baker didn’t know whether Hulshof attended a rather testy meeting with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland. Hoyer received scathing criticism for not reaching out to Republicans in order to get a veto-proof bill through the House.

From the Politico:

They also criticized him and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois for failing to stop his allies outside Congress from running attack ads in their districts, while they were discussing a bipartisan deal.

The result was a predictable one for this bitterly divided Congress. The House vote for a second SCHIP bill was a healthy majority, but not the two-thirds needed to override another veto vowed by President Bush. Only one Republican switched his vote — to oppose the measure.

Democrats accused Republicans of hurting kids. Republicans howled about a heavy-handed, uncompromising Democratic majority. And another chance at bipartisan consensus slipped away.

“They spent $1.5 million through their various shill outreach groups attacking me and a handful of my colleagues,” Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.) said before the Hoyer meeting, “but they did not spend five minutes to approach me to ask for my vote.”

The SCHIP program will expire in mid-November without another extension from Congress.

Click on the link below to read the entire text of the advertisement.

Congressman Kenny Hulshof – you receive quality health insurance provided at taxpayers’ expense, so why do you continue to vote against providing quality affordable health care to Missouri’s children?

With the State Children’s Health Insurance Program – SCHIP – set to expire, you have a simple choice to make:

Continue to stand with President Bush or with Missouri’s kids.

SCHIP legislation will provide health care coverage for nearly 10 million children, including over 100,000 children here in Missouri, and is funded by a 61 cent increase in the tobacco tax.

Yet President Bush has vetoed it and you stand with him – instead of kids.

Congress has revised the bill to override Bush’s veto. When will you stop moving the bar and supporting the president – and start siding with Missouri children?

Congressman Hulshof – stand with kids, NOT George Bush.

Paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, http://www.DCCC.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.